Dedicated GPS navigation units and GPS-enabled mobile devices that run navigation applications are increasingly popular. These devices typically have a display screen and a speaker for providing visual and audible navigation instructions (also referred to herein as navigational notifications). These instructions or notifications inform the user of approaching turns, intersections, exits, points of interest, or other map features of relevance to the user of the device. For example, a highlighted path and/or directional arrow may indicate visually where the user is to turn. Typically, accompanying this visual cue is an audible notification (text-to-speech message) that also alerts the user of the upcoming turn such as, for example, “Turn right in 100 meters onto Columbia Street”. This audible notification is delivered a predetermined distance or time before the device is due to arrive at the intersection to allow sufficient time for the user to react safely to the instruction. Most devices also repeat the notification as the device reaches the intersection, e.g. “Turn right now onto Columbia Street”.
On conventional navigation devices, the frequency of these notifications may be changed in the user settings. Thus, the user may manually increase or decrease the frequency with which these notifications are provided. The user settings may also permit the audible notifications to be disabled altogether.
One drawback of the conventional technology is that the frequency of the notifications can only be changed by reconfiguring the user settings. This requires that the user enter the settings menu, locate the notification setting, and make the desired adjustment. Because of the complexity of this manual adjustment procedure, it is not feasible for a driver to do so while driving. Thus, once underway, it is not practical for the driver to modify the frequency of the notifications. Instead, the driver must remember to make this adjustment prior to traveling, or he must pull over to make the change, both of which are highly inconvenient. Moreover, if the driver does not know with certainty which route he will take, he will not necessarily know ahead of time whether he will require more frequent or less frequent notifications.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved method and device for controlling the frequency of navigational notifications.
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.